Banijay Group's Bunim/Murray Productions Launches LA-Based BMP Latin

MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bunim/Murray Productions, a Banijay Group company and producers of The
Real World, Project Runway and Keeping Up with the
Kardashians, today announced it will launch a new division, BMP
Latin. The division will focus on creating and producing unscripted and
scripted programming for Hispanic audiences, specifically targeting the
18-34 demographic across multiple platforms as well as adapting
Bunim/Murray Productions and Banijay Group unscripted formats for
Spanish language and bilingual audiences in the US. BMP Latin’s first
television projects include shows with Latin superstar Paulina Rubio;
Daddy Yankee, the multi-platinum Latin Urban recording artist; and the
Leonardo Lopez family, a successful Mexican-American family living the
dream in Encino, CA. Leading this new entity will be two heavy-hitting
executives, former partner of Jennifer Lopez’s Nuyorican Productions,
Julio Caro and Phunware’s former studio chief, Gabriela Cocco-Sanchez.

The move is fuelled by the rapid growth of the 18–34 year-old Hispanic
US audience which will account for one in three Americans by 2050 [2008
Census Report] and the projection that the entire US Hispanic
population’s annual spending power will climb from $1 trillion to $1.5
trillion in the next three years. [2012
Nielsen Report]

BMP Latin is currently developing a wide range of projects with Latin
superstars and fresh faces, including:

An English-language docu-series exploring the professional and
personal life of multi-hyphenate Latin superstar Paulina Rubio—a
singer, actor, model and Mexican business woman who has sold more than
20 million albums around the world. The series will offer an intimate
look at how she balances fame and first-time motherhood.

A Spanish-language reality series set in the world of Latin Urban
music centered on Grammy Award winner, Daddy Yankee. The show will
offer an inside look at the life of the man who brought Reggaeton to
the U.S., his wife/manager, Mireddys González and their growing roster
of artists.

And an English-language docu-series about the Leonardo Lopez family,
Mexican Americans living the American dream in Encino, CA—the Beverly
Hills of the Valley. Owners of the successful El Mariachi restaurant
chain, Pico Rivera Sports Arena, and fashion brand, Pink Horses, this
family works hard and plays hard, spending their weekends competing in
Charrería rodeo competitions. Set in LA, the #1 Hispanic market in the
U.S., this is a look at the ultimate subculture.

Gil Goldschein, President of Bunim/Murray Productions, said, “The
ability to team up with Julio and Gabriela, whose track records in this
exploding market are unparalleled, provided Bunim/Murray Productions
with a great way to create programming specifically targeted to the
younger US Hispanic audience, many of whom have been long-time fans of
Bunim/Murray shows. BMP Latin powerfully combines our 25 years of
expertise in reaching the core 18-34 demo with Julio and Gabriela’s
collective insight as well as personal knowledge and understanding of
one of the fastest growing populations in the US. This unique
partnership will set BMP Latin apart from others in the space and lays
the groundwork for success in this key area of the media landscape.”

Julio Caro said, “Our goal at BMP Latin is to be at the forefront of
creating content that speaks directly to this audience. This market is
experiencing unprecedented growth, and now is the time to reach them
with compelling, high value programming.”

Gabriela Cocco-Sanchez said, “There is a huge opportunity across all
platforms to reach this diverse community, and we plan to do so—from
scripted and reality, comedy and drama to web and mobile
programming—both in Spanish and English. This is an exciting time, and
we’re thrilled to be a part of Bunim/Murray Productions, the preeminent
reality powerhouse.”

Francois de Brugada, EVP Banijay Group, said, “Banijay's move into the
Hispanic and Latin market further extends our global reach. The diverse
range of formats, devised and created by our portfolio of production
companies, which can now be developed for this growing market presents a
great opportunity for the Group as a whole.”

Caro is as an accomplished producer with a strong business and financial
background. He served as partner at Nuyorican Productions, producing
films The Cell and El Cantante and overseeing the
company’s then first-look deals with Columbia Pictures, Fox Television
Studios and Telemundo. Most recently, he worked with Jessy Terrero on
the launch of Channel 123UnoDosTres, one of the premium YouTube Channels
awarded in 2012 and targeting the U.S. Latino market.

Cocco-Sanchez has more than a decade of experience in TV programming,
content development and production, working at EMI Latin America, MTV
Latin America and Universal Music Group. At Phunware, she created and
executive produced the documentary series Juanes 123: POV for
YouTube’s Latin Channel 123UnoDosTres starring the Colombian musician
and international superstar, Juanes.

Caro and Cocco-Sanchez will report to Bunim/Murray Productions’ Gil
Goldschein. Banijay International will handle international distribution
of formats and series created by BMP Latin.

About Banijay Group

The Banijay Group is a content creation company for television and
multimedia platforms. It comprises a network of leading international
production companies and is engaged in strategic partnerships with
innovative creative talent around the world. Banijay formats and
programming, as well as acquired third-party content, is sold around the
world by its global distribution arm, Banijay International. The Group’s
model relies on pooling the expertise and potential of its production
and distribution companies, reinforced by the central development unit,
Creative Factory. Its goal is to become a leader in each of the
territories it operates.

Bunim/Murray Productions is the leading producer of innovative
entertainment content. The Emmy Award-winning company is widely credited
with creating the reality television genre with its hit series The
Real World (27 seasons for MTV). BMP continued to innovate with the
first reality game show, Road Rules (MTV), in 1995; the first
reality sitcom, The Simple Life (E!), in 2003; and the first
reality soap opera, Starting Over, in 2003. Bunim-Murray’s
current programming includes The Bad Girls Club, Love Games
and Best Ink (Oxygen), Keeping up with the Kardashians, Kim
and Kourtney Take Miami and Mrs. Eastwood & Company (E!), The
Real World and The Challenge (MTV), and Project Runway and
Project Runway All Stars (Lifetime). Bunim/Murray Productions has
also produced films, including Pedro (MTV) and the Emmy
Award-winning Autism: The Musical (HBO). Based in Van Nuys, CA,
Bunim/Murray Productions was founded in 1987 by Jonathan Murray and the
late Mary-Ellis Bunim, who were inducted into the Television Academy of
Arts & Science’s Hall of Fame in 2012. The company joined Banijay Group
in 2010.